Man dies in early morning house fire in Eastmoor

Michael E. Gwinn Sr. was known by residents in his Eastmoor neighborhood for how well he kept up his property in the 100 block of South Weyant Avenue.

They said Gwinn, 54, took pride in his white frame house and his lush green lawn. He recently repaved the driveway.

But Gwinn didn't have smoke detectors inside the house, where fire broke out early Friday morning.

Firefighters say Gwinn likely woke in bed to heavy smoke and collapsed while trying to escape.

Firefighters were dispatched at 1:45 a.m. and arrived two minutes later. Gwinn was pulled out of the house and taken to Ohio State University's Wexner Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 3 a.m. The fire was contained at 2:33 a.m.

Raymond Henry, 58, knew Gwinn for decades. Henry, who moved to another part of the city, stood in front of the charred house later Friday in shock.

"He was the patriarch of the neighborhood," he said of Gwinn.

The patio table and chairs where Henry had attended cookouts in years past now were covered in soot and yellow tape. "He was the kind of guy who would help you cut the grass," Henry said.

Linda Tran, 26, got home from work at a convenience store early Friday morning and watched the scene unfold from her house across the street.

She said she watched firefighters take Gwinn out of the residence and try to revive him.

Gwinn often crossed the street to offer help with the family's garden or to give advice, Tran said.

"He was always very friendly. He had a good heart," she said.

Gwinn knew tragedy in his life, too, Dispatch archives show.

Seven years ago, Gwinn's son, Michael Jr., shot and killed his young wife and then turned the gun on himself. Gwinn believed his son was traumatized after serving in Iraq with the Army National Guard. After Michael Jr.'s death, Gwinn carried a key chain with his picture and the words "my soul wherever he goes."

The cause of the fire was unclear Friday and the investigation is expected to take a few days.

This is the ninth death in Columbus caused by fire this year, pending confirmation from the coroner's office. There were 11 fire deaths for all of 2016.

Columbus fire has a hotline for anyone who needs a smoke alarm. Firefighters will install alarms in homes at no cost. For more information, call 614-724-0935.